Method of purifying silicon utilizing cascading process
First Claim
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1. A method for purifying metallurgical grade (MG) silicon, comprising:
- (a) contacting a first silicon with a second mother liquor, to provide a first mixture;
(b) melting the first mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a first molten mixture;
(c) cooling the first molten mixture to a temperature below the solidus, to form first silicon crystals and a third mother liquor;
(d) separating the first silicon crystals and the third mother liquor;
(e) contacting the first silicon crystals and a first mother liquor, to provide a second mixture;
(f) melting the second mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a second molten mixture;
(g) cooling the second molten mixture to a temperature below the solidus, to form second silicon crystals and a second mother liquor;
(h) separating the second silicon crystals and the second mother liquor;
(i) contacting the second silicon crystals with a first solvent metal, to provide a third mixture;
(j) melting the third mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a third molten mixture;
(k) cooling the third molten mixture to a temperature below the solidus, to form third silicon crystals and a first mother liquor; and
(l) separating the third silicon crystals and the first mother liquor;
wherein the mother liquors and the first solvent metal comprise a solvent metal;
wherein the method provides upgraded metallurgical-grade (UMG) silicon; and
further comprising combining the first mother liquor with at least a portion of the second mother liquor prior to contacting the first mother liquor with the first silicon crystals.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of purifying a material using a metallic solvent. The present invention includes a method of purifying silicon utilizing a cascade process. In a cascade process, as the silicon moves through the purification process, it contacts increasingly pure solvent metal that is moving through the process in an opposite direction.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for purifying metallurgical grade (MG) silicon, comprising:
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(a) contacting a first silicon with a second mother liquor, to provide a first mixture; (b) melting the first mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a first molten mixture; (c) cooling the first molten mixture to a temperature below the solidus, to form first silicon crystals and a third mother liquor; (d) separating the first silicon crystals and the third mother liquor; (e) contacting the first silicon crystals and a first mother liquor, to provide a second mixture; (f) melting the second mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a second molten mixture; (g) cooling the second molten mixture to a temperature below the solidus, to form second silicon crystals and a second mother liquor; (h) separating the second silicon crystals and the second mother liquor; (i) contacting the second silicon crystals with a first solvent metal, to provide a third mixture; (j) melting the third mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a third molten mixture; (k) cooling the third molten mixture to a temperature below the solidus, to form third silicon crystals and a first mother liquor; and (l) separating the third silicon crystals and the first mother liquor; wherein the mother liquors and the first solvent metal comprise a solvent metal; wherein the method provides upgraded metallurgical-grade (UMG) silicon; and
further comprising combining the first mother liquor with at least a portion of the second mother liquor prior to contacting the first mother liquor with the first silicon crystals.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for purifying metallurgical grade (MG) silicon, comprising:
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(a) contacting a first silicon with a second mother liquor, to provide a first mixture; (b) melting the first mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a first molten mixture; (c) cooling the first molten liquid to a temperature below the solidus, to form first silicon crystals and a third mother liquor; (d) separating the first silicon crystals and the third mother liquor; (e) contacting the first silicon crystals and a first mother liquor, to provide a second mixture; (f) melting the second mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a second molten mixture; (g) cooling the second molten liquid to a temperature below the solidus, to form second silicon crystals and a second mother liquor; (h) separating the second silicon crystals and the second mother liquor; (i) contacting the second silicon crystals with a first solvent metal, to provide a third mixture; (j) melting the third mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a third molten mixture; (k) cooling the third molten liquid to a temperature below the solidus, to form third silicon crystals and a first mother liquor; (l) separating the third silicon crystals and the first mother liquor; (m) melting the third silicon crystals, to provide melted third crystals to a temperature above the liquidus; (n) directionally solidifying the melted third crystals, to provide a solidified silicon; and (o) removing at least a portion of the solidified silicon; wherein the mother liquors and the first solvent metal comprise a solvent metal, wherein the solvent metal comprises aluminum, and wherein the method provides upgraded metallurgical-grade (UMG) silicon; and
further comprising combining the first mother liquor with at least a portion of the second mother liquor prior to contacting the first mother liquor with the first silicon crystals. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for purifying metallurgical grade (MG) silicon, comprising:
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(a) contacting a silicon A with a third mother liquor, to provide a mixture A; (b) melting the mixture A to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a molten mixture A; (c) cooling the molten liquid A to a temperature below the solidus, to form a first silicon and a fourth mother liquor; (d) separating the first silicon and the fourth mother liquor; (e) contacting the first silicon with a second mother liquor, to provide a first mixture; (f) melting the first mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a first molten mixture; (g) cooling the first molten liquid to a temperature below the solidus, to form first silicon crystals and a third mother liquor; (h) separating the first silicon crystals and the third mother liquor; (i) contacting the first silicon crystals and a first mother liquor, to provide a second mixture; (j) melting the second mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a second molten mixture; (k) cooling the second molten liquid to a temperature below the solidus, to form second silicon crystals and a second mother liquor; (l) separating the second silicon crystals and the second mother liquor; (m) contacting the second silicon crystals with a first solvent metal, to provide a third mixture; (n) melting the third mixture to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide a third molten mixture; (o) cooling the third molten liquid to a temperature below the solidus, to form third silicon crystals and a first mother liquor; (p) separating the third silicon crystals and the first mother liquor; (q) melting the third silicon crystals to a temperature above the liquidus, to provide melted third crystals; (r) directionally solidifying the melted third crystals, to provide a solidified silicon; and (s) removing at least a portion of the solidified silicon wherein the mother liquors and the first solvent metal comprise a solvent metal, wherein the solvent metal comprises aluminum, wherein steps (a)-(d) are repeated zero times, once, or twice, herein steps (e)-(h) are repeated zero times, once, or twice, herein steps (i)-(l) are repeated zero times, once, or twice, wherein steps (m)-(p) are repeated zero times, once, or twice, wherein steps (q)-(s) are repeated zero times, once, or twice, wherein the method provides upgraded metallurgical-grade (UMG) silicon, and wherein other metallic elements comprise one or more of magnesium, titanium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, molybdenum, cadmium, tin, tungsten, lead and uranium; and
further comprising combining the second mother liquor with at least a portion of the third mother liquor prior to contacting the second mother liquor with the first silicon. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification